20180505 Evening Darśana Question and Answer Session

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam
paramānanda-mādhavam śrī caitanya īśvaram
Harihi oṁ tat sat

 So today we had a special ceremony where the complete sets of the Caitanya-caritāmṛta were given out to the Tamil Nadu centers. I heard there were about 40 centers and this is a very historical moment. They were completing all the Ccs [Caitanya-caritāmṛtas] at one time. I was publishing Prabhupāda’s books on behalf of the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, BBT. Prabhupāda had given me special permission. And we [had] set up a printing press and facility at Māyāpur. So, until last year that was publishing all the books. Now BBT finds it more efficient to publish the books out of Calcutta. So, we have ceased to publish the books. But we are going to have a BBT museum so that people, who visit Māyāpur can see how the BBT is publishing all over the world. Prabhupāda was very interested that his books be on display. He had copies of all the books that were available at that time and had them displayed in his room. What Prabhupāda had done in publishing books was a special thing.

Some sādhus call themselves jagat-guru, but they may have one āśrama and then ride on an elephant and have a procession of bābās. So Prabhupāda, he had hundreds of books and he walked with the elephant put the Deity on the procession. So, his perspective was completely different. And he did not appreciate the so called jagat-gurus. So, he was telling us how his Guru Mahārāja was a Vaikuṇṭha man and he had walked around the Rādhā-kuṇḍa with Prabhupāda and his son and he told Prabhupāda to publish books. He said that since we have temples people would argue who will stay in what room and what facility, but we want to actually distribute the message of Lord Caitanya.

That reminds me that one time there was a festival of Annakūṭa, a mountain of rice – this was in remembrance to Govardhana. But a dog came and ate from the mountain. So Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Prabhupāda said, “Where did the dog eat?” “There!” “There?” “There!” “There?” “Sure there!” He went down and from that place he took some prasāda. “Very nice!” He was a very practical person. 

The cultivators went on strike and they were not cutting the rice. So, the work was stopped. So, then he went out and he said, “How do you do this?” And someone showed him you grab a bunch of paddies and you cut it off. So, he said, “Is this how you do it?” He went and grabbed the rice paddy and started harvesting it. So, all the workers, they saw that he was going to do it come what may be. So, then he had all the sannyāsīs cutting rice. I was in Māyāpur and our laborers went on strike. So Prabhupāda sent all the sannyāsīs out and said, “Finish the slab.” I was the only one who knew how to use the cement mixer. So, I mixed, and they acted as coolies. So, then they put it on the slab. So, we can see that Prabhupāda, he was doing what his Guru Mahārāja had done and he had us do the same.

Once when we were staying in the grass hut. The bees house was knocked down by the cow and they swarmed into Prabhupāda’s room. Naturally, he called for me! He said, “Take care of this.” [laughter] Now you cannot move the bees from here to there. They are programmed, they go right to their house. So, if you move their house a few feet, they will get bewildered. You have to move the house a kilometer away. And then, after they are accustomed to that place you can move them back. So, in Māyāpur there was never a dull moment. Bees, cows, you name it!

So, Prabhupāda had me walk on the thin pathways and take him to the Ganges. He said that, “If I had a pathway to the Ganges, I would go every day.” So, I was thinking how we could make a road to the Ganges to satisfy Śrīla Prabhupāda. 

One day we went to the Ganges and the water was clear. So Prabhupāda said, “Let us take a dip.” Secretary said, “I did not bring any bathing cloth.” Prabhupāda looked around and said, “There are no ladies here!” So, everyone was wearing their top piece with their kaupīnas and going for a dip. Prabhupāda, he did not know swimming, but he would regularly bathe in the Ganges. He would cover his ears, eyes, nose and mouth and dip three times. One of the sannyāsīs got a bit frivolous and started splash Śrīla Prabhupāda and Prabhupāda gave him a laser look and he was understood that they should not go that far. 

So, these are some of the things which happened in Māyāpur. Any questions?

Hare Kṛṣṇa! Thank you very much!